Easter finish it up weekend progress report...

I'm declaring 4 finishes this weekend.

Finish 1: skinny quilt for the BQL challenge. Techincally I finished this twice. I got it quilted and bound, then decided I really didn't like the way the setting triangles "bled" into the binding. There was no definiate edge to the on point blocks. I slept on it overnight and oddly dreamt how to tweak it. Next morning, I carefully took the binding off, appliqued the mauve strips over the egdes to look like a slim border, then re-applied the binding. much better!

Finishes 2 and 3 were mini Christmas table runners/counter covers.

I'd totally forgotten about these as they were over the top bannister with another UFO covering them! I thought about a Christmas bauble theme quilting, but, to be honest, I just wanted them finished and out of the UFO pile, so in the end I straight stitched in the centre of each strip in a selection of metallic threads. I bound each of them with some leftover binding from the sweetie jar, and machined in the ditch on the front to finish the binding off. Not my best work by a long way, but a kill's a kill.



Finish 4 had already been in a show, but I realised I wanted to add in the ditch quilting around each siggy square. This was the quilt which was hiding the Christmas runners on the bannister. I'd done all the in the ditching, just had to bury the ends...139 squares, one pass round each one, front and back thread...that's a lot of ends  to bury. I poured myself a big glass of wine, took a deep breath and just got on with it. It was done in two sessions, and the quilt is now folded and back inthe store cupboard. I bring it out to use as an example of a siggy quilt. My favourite thing about it, apart from the collection of signatures from around the world is the rainbow shading of the patches.

The final picture isn't a finish...yet. It's a trial to see how my planned quilting design will look on the Guide quilt. Cunningly, I also used two of my less favourite fat quarters...the orange top one is nothing compared to the multi-coloured monstrosity that lies beneath!

Tea break over, I'm about to start work on the Guide quilt...I've had best part of a month to do it, and need it for tomorrow evening! Just as well I'm off work, and apart from a blood test and returning a top to the shop, have a clear sewing day.

I'll report in on Wednesday on how I've done with it.

Busy weekend behind me.

Yesterday was the Plymouth Half marathon which me and DH were both running in. I wasn't sure how my achilles would stand up to the 13.1 miles, but knew I could always walk if I needed to. Weather forecast was for heavy rain and high winds, great! In the end we had a brief shower at 8am, and sunshine for the rest of the day.

We got to the Hoe, met DS and sorted ourselvs out with baggage drops and meeting the various groups we needed to say hello to. Group photo for the running club great...around 50 of us. I managed to get on the back line, saying I felt more at home at the back ;-)

By the time I'd left the loo queue, I lined up facing the wrong way I was so far back. Nearly 5 minutes before I crossed the line, and I was off. Felt nice and easy, and I hit the first mile point at 10 minutes.

No major traumas and I was feeling great at Saltram. I'd planned to walk the hill there and at Haye rd, and that was exactly what I did. As I got more comfortable and further round the course, I began to target people in my vision to over take. One woman took me over a mile to get past, but she didn't come back after me. I was definitely passing more than were passing me. The other club runner finally got away form me on Billacombe rd, which despite being downhill I struggled with.

Another clubbie supporting boosted me by running with me for a few yards, and I gave him my gel belt in exchange for a couple of wine gums. 10 miles down and still bang on time for 11 minute miles

I kept plodding on overtaking people until I got to the Barbican. Dashed into Jacka's to yell HI to Marge, then walked up the hill. Less than a mile to go and the PB was looking dodgy, but I caried on regardless. As I got to the final turn, I glanced at my watch...my course best was smashed and the PB was still on. I passed a guy with Cooky on his T shirt on the Hoe (last 50 yards) and stopped my watch with 11 minute 11 seconds off my PB (rounded on the official time to 1m 10s off)




yes it was as painful as it looks! Best bit about Plymouth is the runner's exclusion zone with as much food as you can eat, an excellent goody bag, stuffed with freebies. I also got a medal, t shirt, mini mars bars, water & apple juice thrust at me as I crossed the line.



As if that wasn't enough for a bank holiday weekend, I've been quilting as well. Dear Jane is just about finished!!! All the machine quilting is done on the main body of the quilt and the triangle borders. I've just got to darn the ends in and put the binding on. That will be my task for tonight, to bind it.





I'm still doubtful as to whether it might need more quilting, but if I decide it does, I can do it once it's been bound.

So another UFO finished (nearly), another quilt ticked off for the exhibiton in August, another PB. DH got a PB as well, 10 minutes off his Bath time! No blisters and all my toe nails look intact.